Biography
Who is Jenifer Lewis?
Early Life and Education
Jenifer Lewis Jeanette Lewis was born on January 25, 1957, in Kinloch, Missouri. She grew up in the United States and attended Kinloch High School before pursuing her education further at Webster University. Years later, in 2015, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from her alma mater Webster University.
From a young age, she showed an interest in the performing arts. Her upbringing in Kinloch laid the groundwork for a long and successful career in entertainment that would eventually span across Broadway, television, and film.
Broadway and Early Career
Shortly after moving to New York City, Jenifer made her Broadway debut in a small role in the musical Eubie in 1979. She was subsequently cast as a back-up singer for entertainer Bette Midler, joining her group known as the Harlettes. This collaboration led to her first television appearances on Midler's HBO specials and a role in Midler's 1988 feature film Beaches.
During this period, she also developed an autobiographical comedy and music show titled The Diva Is Dismissed, which she performed off-Broadway at the Public Theater. She continued building her stage resume, later joining the cast of the Broadway musical Hairspray in 2008 as Motormouth Maybelle.
Film and Television Work
Jenifer became widely known for playing mothers in numerous films and television programs, earning the unofficial title of The Mother of Black Hollywood. Her film credits include supporting roles in What's Love Got to Do With It, Poetic Justice, The Preacher's Wife, Cast Away, Think Like a Man, and Baggage Claim. She also voiced characters in animated projects, playing Mama Odie in Disney's The Princess and the Frog and Flo in Pixar's Cars franchise.
On television, she starred as Lana Hawkins in the medical drama Strong Medicine from 2000 to 2006. She also made recurring appearances in popular sitcoms such as A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Girlfriends. Beginning in 2014, she starred as Ruby Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish, earning a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for her performance.
Personal Life and Memoirs
Jenifer has been engaged four times but has never been married, and she has an adopted daughter named Charmaine Lewis. In 2017, she published a memoir titled The Mother of Black Hollywood, detailing her life experiences and career in the entertainment industry. She is also distantly related to former NFL player Tre'Von Johnson.
Open about her health, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1990 and eventually came to embrace her diagnosis after years of therapy and medication. In 2022, she sustained injuries after a fall from a hotel balcony in Serengeti, leading to a major surgery and recovery period.
Birthday and age
Jenifer Lewis was born on January 25, 1957, which makes Jenifer 69 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Jenifer shares the date with 26 other famous people.
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